Americans @ WPC

sjm said:
but I do believe that before this trend can be reversed, the American men will have to begin competing on tough equipment again. Far too many pro events in the US are played on loose tables that don't punish sloppy play, and I believe it has lessened the pedigree of some of the top American players.
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SJM,
I DEFINITELY agree with this point. Though I know you were not at the DCC this year, you would have been struck by the extremely conservative play on the medium tough equipment. TOTALLY conservative play, very few people trying the spectacular power position shots (exceptions = Efren, George B., Jamie Baraks), very few really tough runouts. If you wanted to see spectacular pool there, you needed to head to the action room, or watch one of those 3 players, it was an eye opening experience.
 
Jet lag and food's just a poor excuse. The trend of American players not doing as well in WPC started when the tournament was held in England. Asian players were out performing Americans back then.
 
Timberly said:
Dang SJM, didn't mean to get you fired up over there. :) I was just throwing out a possibility. Not everyone has the funds to go out there a week early and only had a couple of days (if that) to acclimate themselves to things. If it'll get your heart rate back down, I'll retract it. :D
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You're right, Timberly, I need to calm down a little. Forgive me, for, as is painfully obvious, I'm very passionate about pro pool in America. There's a lot of pool left to be played in this WPC, and perhaps our hometown boys will find a way to make a statement before it's over.

I guess I'm just fearful that if we ever allow ourselves to drown our sorrows in excuses that don't really measure up, we Americans will be less inclined to make the changes in American professional pool that are needed to ensure that we build and maintain the competitive pedigree of our very best players.
 
sjm said:
Forgive me, for, as is painfully obvious, I'm very passionate about pro pool in America.

I guess I'm just fearful that if we ever allow ourselves to drown our sorrows in excuses that don't really measure up, we Americans will be less inclined to make the changes in American professional pool that are needed to ensure that we build and maintain the competitive pedigree of our very best players.
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No need for forgiveness. If more people and players were as passionate as you, the pool world would be a much better place than it is now. ;)
 
14.1player said:
Why do the US players always underperform at the WPC?
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Why do non-americans always underperform at the US Open? Only 2 non-americans have ever won, Efren and Immonen.
 
gregory said:
Why do non-americans always underperform at the US Open? Only 2 non-americans have ever won, Efren and Immonen.
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Because the US Open is a normal tournament with races to 11 or 9. Round robin races to 5 with alternate breaks is A LOT different than winner breaks races. Maybe the WPC format is the way to go for all pro events. Weed out the players that way and then have single elimination LONG races.

Asia can't be discounted as a pool superpower, specifically, Japan, Philipines, and Taiwan. These three countries produce some downright awesome pool players who can hang with anyone from anywhere on the pool table. If they had the money and inclination to compete in the USA all the time then the rankings would be full of Asian names.

John
 
gregory said:
Why do non-americans always underperform at the US Open? Only 2 non-americans have ever won, Efren and Immonen.
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Actually it's Efren and Souquet who have won 9-ball US Open. 14.1 US Open has been won by Souquet and Ortmann.

I think one reason is that maybe 90% of the US Open players are Americans and they have the advantage of playing at home soil. You know, familiar people, familiar conditions etc. It's surprisingly difficult to win tournaments a long way from home on a different atmosphere and conditions. Maybe it's also that the foreigners will have something to prove. Players visiting America might feel the pressure to perform, the same with the Americans playing at the WPC with a pressure to perform. Dunno, difficult to say.
 
B.s.

Pool is just not a big money sport here in the states,thats why there is so little talent.Look at any other of the sports, we blow away our competition.When the money is there and the athletes have the backing we will be able to win over any other country.
The Aisian countries basically only have pool and the Dutch and the Germans have no real athletes to compete with us in any other sport.
Thats my 02. cents.you can keep the change.
Lets stop knocking our guys and for that matter, lets not have the Canadians and the guy from Hong Kong knocking them either.
 
bobroberts said:
The Aisian countries basically only have pool and the Dutch and the Germans have no real athletes to compete with us in any other sport.
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Those two statements are blatantly untrue.
 
Timberly said:
SJM The list goes on... then you come to pro pool. Different tables, different pocket sizes, different balls, different cloth, etc... It really is a farce when you think about it. :rolleyes:
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Hi Timberly,
Should we not call it Rugged Individualism,the birth right of an American ?He,he,he,he.
Cheers
Vagabond
 
bobroberts said:
Yeah I will give Canada Hockey players but no one cares about hockey.
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I dont' mean just hockey. Stop being so blindly patriotic and give yoru comments some thought. It is true that the US is the best in the world in many sports; some because the sport is only played in the US (football), and some because the US has the money to fund the most highly paid sports leagues. But for yoru original comment to be true, US would have to win gold in every single sporting event in the Olympics, which is far from the reality. US will also have to win every major international sport competition, which is also not true. Take Germany for example, they have much better soccer players. Dutch, I think they have better badminton players and soccer players. But who cares, we're talking about pool, not everything else.
 
SplicedPoints said:
I dont' mean just hockey. Stop being so blindly patriotic and give yoru comments some thought. It is true that the US is the best in the world in many sports; some because the sport is only played in the US (football), and some because the US has the money to fund the most highly paid sports leagues. But for yoru original comment to be true, US would have to win gold in every single sporting event in the Olympics, which is far from the reality. US will also have to win every major international sport competition, which is also not true. Take Germany for example, they have much better soccer players. Dutch, I think they have better badminton players and soccer players. But who cares, we're talking about pool, not everything else.
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I know we are not the best at everythng.It just seemed to be some bashing going on and I was looking for a little reaction.Just messing with you though.
Bob
 
bobroberts said:
lets not have the Canadians and the guy from Hong Kong knocking them either.
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i was just pointing out that all of the US Opens (9-ball) except for 2 have been won by americans. don't know how that's knocking americans?
 
Cheer them on ....

Double J, Jeremy Jones, made it like I predicted, he swept his last 2
matches.

Mike Davis made it. Good for Mike, the Florida Player.

Gabe is at 3-3, and playing Asian. Chiang, the one above him, is
at 3-3, and Playing Michael Valentine, who is at 5-1. If Gabe wins,
and Chiang loses, then Gabe will be in. Valentine has shown that
he is a force to be dealt with in previous matches. Go Gabe.

Email your sports editor of your paper, and let them know the WPC is
going on. Ask for some reporting about it, especially if an American
player is from close by where you live.
 
Snapshot9 said:
Double J, Jeremy Jones, made it like I predicted, he swept his last 2
matches.

Mike Davis made it. Good for Mike, the Florida Player.

Gabe is at 3-3, and playing Asian. Chiang, the one above him, is
at 3-3, and Playing Michael Valentine, who is at 5-1. If Gabe wins,
and Chiang loses, then Gabe will be in. Valentine has shown that
he is a force to be dealt with in previous matches. Go Gabe.

Email your sports editor of your paper, and let them know the WPC is
going on. Ask for some reporting about it, especially if an American
player is from close by where you live.
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Gabe just won a match. Is he in the 64 now? I'm trying to figure this out, with little luck. Thanks!
 
Gabe made it !!!

Gabe beat Asian 5-3, which makes him 4-3 with 30 wins.
Chiang lost to Al Howri 5-2, which makes him 3-3 with 24 wins.
Even if Chiang beats Valentine, his final match, he will only
be 4-3 with 27 wins, which means Gabe will be in because
he will have more wins than Chiang.

Way to Go Gabe. Not bad for first time there.
 
Snapshot9 said:
Gabe beat Asian 5-3, which makes him 4-3 with 30 wins.
Chiang lost to Al Howri 5-2, which makes him 3-3 with 24 wins.
Even if Chiang beats Valentine, his final match, he will only
be 4-3 with 27 wins, which means Gabe will be in because
he will have more wins than Chiang.

Way to Go Gabe. Not bad for first time there.
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Thumbs up for Gabe ! First timers haven't usually done well at the WPC...
 
Snapshot9 said:
Gabe beat Asian 5-3, which makes him 4-3 with 30 wins.
Chiang lost to Al Howri 5-2, which makes him 3-3 with 24 wins.
Even if Chiang beats Valentine, his final match, he will only
be 4-3 with 27 wins, which means Gabe will be in because
he will have more wins than Chiang.

Way to Go Gabe. Not bad for first time there.
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Whew, that is very good news!! Thanks for letting me know! Kathy
 
gabesmom said:
Whew, that is very good news!! Thanks for letting me know! Kathy
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Congratulations. Gabe showed a lot of heart fighting his way through the round robin stage and advancing to the knockout stage.
 
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